


Kagehina: All Grown Up

by blueberrypii



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged Up, Fluff, M/M, Older, Reunion, Volleyball gays, i actually wrote this last year haha, i sacrificed so much sleep considering it was a week prior to exam week, kagehina is the main ship the others only appear briefly, nishinoya and asahi and tanaka and ennoshita and yamaguchi and tsukki all feature, slight angst I guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-09
Updated: 2017-04-09
Packaged: 2018-10-16 22:53:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 9,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10581159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blueberrypii/pseuds/blueberrypii
Summary: 24 year old Kageyama, having quit the volleyball club during his second year of high school,  now works in an office as a businessman for a corporate giant. The only thing that gets him through the day is his memories of volleyball... And Shouyou.





	1. Just another day at work...

A hoard of paperwork is what you could call Kageyama Tobio's office. Some preferred to call it a treasure trove of paperwork, but in truth, he disliked both. After all, they both implied that he was voluntarily keeping the humongous amount of paper inside his office - which couldn't be further from the truth.

Kageyama never really he wanted to work in an office. Back in high school he had dreams of being a professional volleyball player; he could still recall the excitement that filled his body every time he touched the volleyball,  the harsh bitterness of a missed receive, the immeasurable joy of a point scored. He smiled nostalgically at the memory, wishing he could turn back time and just play, play, play...

His mother never liked volleyball. She said it was a stupid sport for stupid people. It was her that made him quit the club when he was a second year. She made him go. She made Kageyama leave _him_ , the bright light in Kageyama's life, the little ball of sunshine with endless energy and the most adorable smile.

Kageyama suspected it was partially out of spite - his mother had never been a particularly passionate woman, without a hobby of her own or a lover she could devote her time to. For her, there was just work. She didn't show much interest in his father either; she was cold, through and through. Slowly, manipulatively, she had forced her own ambitions onto him: the dream she could never realise, the job she never got, the life she never had.

That's why he was stuck here, Kageyama thought to himself, in this dull boring office block surrounded by dull boring people, doing dull boring paperwork. If only he had the strength to stand up to her,  maybe things wouldn't have turned out this way, although deep down, the young man knew there was no way in the world he could have stood up to his tyrannical mother at 16.

He still couldn't at 24.

"Kageyama san! There's someone here to see you!" A cheerful figure burst through the door, making Kageyama jump in surprise.

"H-huh?"

The assistant sighed deeply before fixing Kageyama with a steely look.  
"This is why you have so much paperwork." she said, her voice stern, almost as if she was chastising a child.

"What on earth do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean. You were daydreaming again, weren't you?"

Kageyama blushed, his cheeks turning the colour of cherry blossoms, averting his gaze towards the ground.

"I-I was not."

The assistant laughed, and Kageyama looked at her questioningly. Her name was Tachibana Mei and she worked as a general assistant to everyone on the third floor - those who had offices. Today she was wearing a black pleated skirt, which was just a little too short than the regulations allowed (not that the seniors were complaining). Her tie was red and black, the company colours, and her white shirt  perfectly accentuated her well endowed figure, to the point where Kageyama forced himself to look away out of embarrassment.

"As I said before, there's someone here to see you." She flicked a blonde lock back, exposing the bright red bauble that hung from her ear.

' _That's right!'_ Kageyama realised, _"_ _It's_ _nearly_ _Christmas!"_

"It's not another member of management is it?" he asked, trying his utmost not to sound bored; Mei's smirk showed otherwise.

"You'll be glad to hear it's not--"

"Is it a client then? Come to ask about some obscure policy nobody gives a shit about?"

Mei noticed the irritation in his voice. It had appeared more and more in the last couple of months, and frankly, she was concerned.

"No actually. It's someone who claims to know you very well--"

"Is it mother?"  
  


"No."

"Ah."

"He, umm, he says you went to high school together.".

"Oh yeah?" There was the slightest hint of interest in his voice. "Did he say what his name was?"

"Shouyou. Hinata Shouyou."


	2. The Visitor

Kageyama practically jumped out of his seat when he heard Tachibana say that person's name.

"Shouyou?! Shouyou's here?!"

His imagination was running wild. _Why is he here? After all these years? Don't tell me he still..._ _Of course he doesn't you idiot! He's just dropped in to say hi! He probably has a girlfriend or something now. Heck, he could even be married!_

Kageyama shook his head. He had to calm down. He had to be cool. Be professional about this. But he knew there was nothing professional about his heart wanting to jump out of his chest, nothing professional about the sudden feeling of desire and longing, nothing professional about the hundreds upon hundreds of butterflies fluttering in his stomach, as if they had all awakened from their cocoons at the exact moment he had heard his name...

"Kageyama san? Are you alright? Do you want me to send him out or--"

"NO!" Tobio's loud voice surprised even himself, as he struggled to compose himself and hide the red blush he knew was spreading over his face. He cleared his throat and started again.

"No... Please, please send him in Tachibana san."

"Are you sure? You look kind of... Ruffled, you know? Shaken." A worried frown crept upon the assistant's pale face as she analysed the panicking man in front of her.

"No. I mean, yes! Send... Send him in for me." _Idiot. Get your act together. At this rate you're going to fall apart before you even see him._

"If that's what you wish." She bowed her head slightly and headed for the reception, gently closing the office door on the trembling man within. Her high heels clicked as she strode purposefully across the hallway, ignoring the leering looks she received from some of her coworkers. _What about that man could have possibly flustered Kageyama?_ The question replayed in her mind again and again. In the two years she'd known him, he was always calm and collected. Sure, he was a dreamer, but she'd never seen him quite so startled before - much less at the mention of some person's name. To consider was also the fact that Kageyama had called the visitor by his first name, so obviously he knew him on a personal level...

She quickly snapped out of her daydream and instead focused on finding the man who was causing him so much distress in the chaos of the lobby. What did he look like again? Bright orange hair, as if his head itself was on fire; pretty short for a guy--

"Ah Assistant san! You're back! I was wondering if you'd forgotten about me." The voice came from behind her, and she spun on her heel to see who it belonged to.

 

Found him.

"Hinata san... Was it? Please come this way. Kageyama san will see you now."  
And so Tachibana Mei started down the corridor leading to the elevator, followed by an energetic 24 year old shorter than your average high school kid...

**_What on earth about this guy is making Kageyama san nervous?_ **


	3. Nervousness

Hinata had been waiting in the lobby for about 10 minutes. Frankly, he was wondering if Kageyama actually worked in this place. It was giant and all neat and uniform and white and tidy and boring and Tobio wasn't like that. Not on the inside.

But the assistant (or whatever she was) had returned and they were currently walking up to his office, so it must mean that Sugawara's information was right, although he hadn't the slightest idea _how_ he'd found out where the former setter worked. Hinata had been prepping himself up for over a month now, but he still felt such intense nervousness at seeing him again. Nervousness he was now converting into babbling. But he just couldn't help himself! After all, they hadn't spoken properly since the end of high school. Six long years. Sure, they'd kept in touch using social media, but it had been a long time since either of them had updated their profiles or spoken to one another. It just seemed... Fake that way.

 _What did Tobio look like now?_ Hinata thought to himself. Had he grown even taller? Maybe, just maybe, he had grown a moustache. A curly one. The very image seemed hilarious to the flame haired boy and he had to stop himself from bursting out laughing in the gloomy grey lift. What if - the young man gulped - he had gotten even more defined abs? He wouldn't be able to stop himself then. _Dumb-ass!_ It's not like you would be able to seem them through his shirt anyway!

"It's just through this door here." The assistant gestured towards a plain white door crammed right at the end of the narrow corridor.

"Th-thank you." Hinata stuttered out an apology to the blonde woman. The nerves were getting to him.

He took a deep breath in and opened the door.


	4. Reunion

As soon as Tachibana left the room, time seemed to slow down. Really slow down.

Kageyama couldn't really take the enormity of what had happened. Or rather, what was going to happen.

Shouyou was going to be here-

Shouyou was going to be--

Shouyou was going to--

Shouyou was going--

Shouyou was--

Shouyou--

Was. Going. To. Come. And. See. Him. Here. Now. In. His. Office. At. Work.

 

He just couldn't take it.

Tobio collapsed on his desk, burying his red face in a pile of paperwork.

How long had he ached to see him. How long... What did he look like now? Had he grown? Maybe... Maybe he had a beard. A full grown beard. Or even better: a goatee. The very idea brought a smirk to Kageyama's face, even as his heart raced at three times its normal speed.

What would he do? What would he say? He had no idea. What _could_ he say?

Before he got time to prepare a plan of action, he heard quiet voices outside his door. This was it. Shouyou - should he call him Hinata, now that they were no longer together? - was here. Kageyama hurriedly set his tie straight and ran one hand through his jet black hair.

The door handle pressed down on the other side, and then a familiar figure stepped through the doorway into the crowded room.

"Sh-Shouyou..?"

He was exactly as Tobio remembered him.

Large chocolate brown eyes, slightly golden in the sunlight that streamed in through the window, smooth pale skin, a pink blush on his cheeks and a petite nose in the centre. He looked older, more mature, more handsome now rather than cute, yet that excited, restless look of his still remained, plastered on his face no matter what the situation.  
His hair, still as brightly orange as a foxes', was his most noticeable feature, each lock and curl seemingly having a will of his own.  
He had grown a bit since high school, but hardly enough to see eye-to-eye with Kageyama. He wore on his more muscly frame a black hoodie which accentuated the colour of his hair and a pair of loose tracksuit bottoms, through which Tobio could faintly see the outline of his legs. _His_ _beautiful_ _smooth legs._  
On his feet were some plain white trainers, almost identical to the ones he used to play volleyball in...

He was still the most gorgeous person Kageyama had ever seen in his life.

 

"T-Tobio..."

Hinata took him in.

Kageyama was as tall as he had ever been, crow black hair covering his slender face ever so slightly, neatly cut to expose his ears. His grey eyes were just as hypnotising as when they first met, in that match back in middle school. They had hated each others' guts back then but now... All Hinata wanted to do was to throw his arms around his waist and never let go.  
He had changed, there was no doubt in that. He looked strangely sad, depressed even, but there was a look in his eyes that reminded him of when they used to play volleyball together: setter and spiker, the perfect team. The perfect combination.

The perfect couple.

 

As he looked down, he noted Kageyama's uniform: a simple black blazer and shirt, plain trousers and shoes. Didn't suit him at all. What Kageyama looked good in was gym clothes, especially vests, which displayed his biceps perfectly and through which Hinata could easily see his chest; even now, he though he could faintly see the outline of his muscles through his white fabric. How badly he wanted to touch them, to feel his warmth, the comfort of Tobio's body pressed to his own...

If anything, he had fallen even more deeply in love with him.

At first, Tachibana studied the two young men quizzically, but one look at their eyes and she suddenly understood: why Kageyama had never once looked at her with lust, why he never tried to ask her out on a date, why he had complimented her values more than her looks...

"Well then I'll leave you two to it" she declared, and promptly exited the room, closing the door firmly.

She smiled to herself as she walked towards the lift; _perhaps_ _this will end Kageyama's_ _constant_ _miserable state,_ she thought. _This is who_ _he's_ _been waiting for all these years..._ _I'm_ _such an_ _idiot_ _for not realising_ _sooner_ _\- what_ _Kageyama_ _needs_ _isn't_ _someone_ _to love._

 _It's_ _for a very specific_ _someone_ _to love him_ _back._


	5. This is kind of awkward...

The assistant firmly shut the door behind her, leaving Kageyama and Hinata alone for the first time in years.

It was awkward, to say the least.

 

"S-sit down Shou-- I mean, Hinata" Kageyama gestured to the seat opposite his own. He could feel like whole face burning up, his ears turning bright pink. He looked up, just to let Hinata know he wasn't nervous or anything--

Their eyes met for a split second before they both blushed furiously and look away in embarrassment.

 _You're an idiot Tobio. As if looking at Shouyou's face if going to_ _help_ _you_ _calm_ _down._ _He's_ _the very_ _reason_ _you're_ _so flustered!_

Hinata cleared his throat gently, forcing Kageyama back into reality.

"So um, _Kageyama_ , how have you been? I-" Hinata paused for a second, allowing himself to breathe. He must not mess this up. "I was really surprised when I heard you were working here. It doesn't really seem... Like you."

 _WHAT_ _THE_ _HELL AM I DOING? WHY_ _AM_ _I QUESTIONING HIS JOB? I_ _CAN'T_ _EVEN SAY ONE DECENT_ _SENTENCE?!!_ _COME ON SHOUYOU! SNAP OUT OF IT!_

The sheer amount of paperwork and files in the tiny office wasn't helping - if anything, it was making Hinata feel more claustrophobic and nervous by the minute.

Kageyama was slightly shocked by his question - _he_ _could_ _tell just by being in the_ _building_ _for several_ _minutes_ _?_ \- but forced himself to answer regardless.

"I'm... Doing well. This uh, this company, treats it's workers really well so uh yeah... What about you?" _Jeez Tobio, y_ _ou_ _couldn't_ _have made a bigger idiot of yourself if you tried! Now Shouyou's_ _going_ _to think_ _you're_ _some kind of workaholic!_

"Well, I'm ... I'm a volleyball couch now."

Kageyama looked deeply into Hinata's puppy eyes. They had the same flicker in them, the same sort of passion. Not like his eyes. His dead and lifeless eyes. And now he knew why.

 

"Really? That's... Well that's amazing Hinata! I'm really happy for you!" Kageyama forced out a wide grin onto his face. It was true, he was happy for Shouyou, but just slightly more so, he felt a burning jealousy. If he could only have spent his life playing the sport he loved, and not stuck here in a fucking stupid office - if only!

"Um, yeah." A small blush crept across Shouyou's little face. "But that's not the reason I came here today."

"Oh?" If he hadn't come here to talk about adult life and compare jobs, then why _was_ he here?

 _Could it be he... He feels the same way I do?_ _Could_ _it_ _be_ _? Dare I hope?_

"It's about the reunion."

 

"The reunion..?" Kageyama was puzzled. _What_ _does_ _he mean by 'reunion'? The reunion between_ _them_ _two?_ _Obviously_ _not! Otherwise he'd have phrased it a different way - he had to_ _stop_ _thinking_ _about_ _Shouyou like that_! Six years had passed since then - six whole years! _There's_ _no way he still_ _harbours_ _feelings after all that time! But then again, is there a reason_ _he_ _wouldn't... Af_ _ter all,_ ** _he_** _still_ _loved_ _the flame haired boy, after all this time._

 _"_ Yes. The team reunion." A smile had spread onto Hinata's face and he was now struggling to stop himself from grinning like a maniac. He forced himself to carry on. "Sugawara senpai is organising it. He's planning on getting the whole team together to eat Christmas Lunch together!"

"The whole team? Really? Everyone?" A sudden excitement filled Kageyama, and at that moment he realised he didn't **just** miss Shouyou and volleyball - he missed the whole team. Daichi, Asahi, Nishinoya, Sugawara, Ennoshita, Yamaguchi, Tanaka... Even Tsukishima, that four eyed bastard.

"That sounds like a great idea!"

Hinata nodded vigorously.

"It is! It's loads of fun and we get to see everyone and we always get each other presents and you get to see how everyone has changed and it's really great and--"

"What do mean by **_'always'_**?"

 

The question came out of Kageyama's mouth faster than he could stop it. A strange silence now filled the room. He looked slowly at the love of his life. His head was down, eyes looking at the floor. He looked... Ashamed.

"Well, you see... The truth is... We've been organising this every year since the end of high school." The words felt like acid in Hinata's mouth, burning and sizzling his tongue; they felt poisonous, and it was clear from Kageyama's wounded expression that he found them hurtful too.

How that look pulled on Hinata's heartstrings.

"Oh. I see." Kageyama felt sort of empty inside, like all the hope that had filled his heart several minutes before now leaked from his body, spilling on the grey carpet.

They had been meeting up all these years. All that time. Always in touch. Together. And meanwhile Kageyama was alone. On the side lines. An outsider. He bit his lip bitterly. _It's_ _just like back in that match in middle school,_ he thought to himself. _I'm_ _alone._ _I'm_ _unlike anyone else. The cursed king,_ _sitting_ _on his grand throne with no one at his side._

"W-we tried to contact you! We really really did! But no one could find you on Facebook and you changed your number and none of us had your email address..." Hinata trailed off, seeing how pointless all his talk was. Kageyama was sitting hunched over in his chair, eyes cast down, a gloomy look over his face. Nothing could make him happy again for a while when he became like this.

"You know what Kageyama, I, I uh, I have a class to teach at one so um, I think I will be going now..."   
  
_Oh_ _God_ _this is so awkward dammit_ _I_ _have to do_ _something_ _I have to I_ _have_ _to I have to--_

"I'll leave the time and address of the meet here, OK?" Not really knowing what he was doing, he set down the piece of paper Sugawara had given him on the cluttered desk and stood up to leave, trying not to make so much noise as the chair rubbed against the floor.

"Oh okay... I guess I'll see you there... Hinata."

Kageyama couldn't believe it. After being so happy that Shouyou has come to see him at work, he was now almost wishing he would leave.

Then something happened he never thought would.

The whole scene happened almost in slow motion. Hinata was going to leave, but then he turned back and slowly leaned over the now chair, over Kageyama's messy desk and ever so gently, placed the most delicate of kisses on his forehead.  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Shouyou..? What did you just--"

"Ah I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to! I just aah, I just saw your really sad face and I--  _I_ _couldn't resist kissing you --_ I just did it on a whim okay, it doesn't, it wasn't..."

"It doesn't mean anything. I got you." The words sounded weird from Tobio's mouth, like they were unnatural for his tongue. "I just, I just have one question."

"A-alright." _Jesus_ _Christ Shouyou_ _what did_ _you do what did you do what did you do what did you do what did you do what did you do what did you do what did you--_

 _"_ Are you... Currently dating someone?"

Kageyama couldn't help himself. He had to know. He had to know if there was still hope. He had to. He absolutely had to.

The question hung in the air, suspended in space, just floating around the room, waiting to be answered.

Hinata's mind buzzed with excitement and fear and joy and feelings he couldn't possibly name as they ran rampant in his head, making his chocolate drop eyes swirl. He had to answer the question and answer it now, before it got too awkward, and there was only one possible answer which was--

"Yes."

"Ah."

He left the office and headed outside.


	6. Phone call

Sugawara Koushi was on his lunch break, in the small garden full of small maple trees and bamboo patches, sipping a hot coffee while he watched the children play. He worked at as a teacher now, teaching many different subjects, from Japanese to House Economics, at a rural middle school. 'Super sensei' is what the kids called him, and every time he heard that name he chuckled softly with delight. 

He felt his phone vibrating wildly in his pocket and hurried to pull it out so the ring tone wouldn't catch the attention of all the children nearby. He read the caller ID: Hinata - and covered his ears, just as a precautionary measure.

"Hello?"

"SUGAWARAAA SENPAIIIIII!!!" The extraordinarily high pitched voice from the other end of the line threatened to burst Suga's eardrums - wincing and cursing quietly under his breath, he held the phone well away from his ears.

"Hi - Hinata? Is something wrong?"

"I SCREWED UP SENPAI I SCREWED UP SO BAD SENPAIIIIII HELP MEEEEE!!!" Again, Hinata's voice burst from the phone, broadcasting his pitiful plee to the whole garden, despite the device not being on loudspeaker. Another teacher on duty eyed Sugawara with a suspicious look and he quickly moved to an area with less children around.

 

"Alright, alright, calm down Hinata. You don't have to scream at me, I can hear you perfectly fine."

Sugawara was trying his best not to sounds panicked but he really was genuinely concerned about the flame haired boy. It didn't take much to set him off, despite the fact that he was a fully grown adult, but today was the day he had decided to go talk to Kageyama... He just hoped something hadn't gone majorly wrong. "Is it about Kageyama kun?"

"Y-yeah! I called as soon as I left the building, just like you said. It was kind of awkward... And then I said something stupid that wasn't true and I messed everything up and--"

"Right, tell me everything that happened - every single detail! Slowly..." Suga could almost picture Hinata's little head bobbing up and down in compliance at the other end of the line, which made him smile slightly.

"And Hinata - _please_ don't call me 'senpai'; we're not in high school any more."

"Yes, Suga sen-, I mean, Suga kun!"

 

Hinata proceeded to tell Sugawara everything from the minute he walked in: the small talk, the awkward questions, Kageyama's miserable face and of course... The kiss.

"Is that all?" Suga asked him when the former spiker seemed a bit out of breath from talking so fast and so much.

"Pretty much. Sugawara kun I... I don't know what to do! I had my chance and I... Well, I screwed up." Suga could hear the sadness in Hinata's voice, could visualise the tears pricking his eyes at this very moment in time.

He pondered his words for a while. Although Hinata seemed pretty insistent that he didn't have a chance with Kageyama, Suga thought otherwise. He and Daichi had been through all sorts of ups and downs and they were still together - such a simple setback didn't mean the definite end of a relationship, or that it could never happen. And besides, while he certainly didn't look like it, Tobio was quite emotional - it was entirely possible he still harboured some sort of feelings towards Shouyou. The real issue was how to convince him there was still hope...

 

"But he said he'd come to the Christmas lunch, right?"

"Well he didn't exactly say it... I just kind of put the note down on his desk..." Hinata voice sounded wobbly through the phone, as if he was on the verge of crying.

"He'll be there. There's still hope Hinata!" Sugawara spoke softly, in his most reassuring voice, the one he used to calm any teary students down.

"And if he doesn't come..?"

"He will. Trust me."

"But what if he doesn't?"

"I'll deal with him then. Don't worry about it, alright?"

"O-Okay."

 

The school bell rang out loudly and Sugawara knew he didn't have a lot of time left.

 

"Are you okay now Hinata?" he asked gently.

"Yeah I guess..."

"Look, I've got to go teach history to the first years - I'll call you later, alright?"

"Oh-okay..."

"See you!"

"Bye Suga sen-- kun. And umm..."

"What is it?"

"Thank you. For everything."

Sugawara smiled warmly, like a proud mum witnessing her child grow up.

"Anytime Hina!" With that, Suga hung up, stuffing his phone in his trouser pocket and racing to the other end of the school to his classroom where thirty impatient children already sat waiting for their teacher.

 _That Hinata... He may be 24 now, but he_ _hasn't_ _changed at all since high school..._ _He's_ _just_ _as totally helpless as_ _back_ _then._

 _Not_ _that_ _I_ _mind_ _mothering_ _him a bit longer..._


	7. Depression

"Here are your photocopies Akane san!" Mei cheerfully placed the thick wad of documents on his desk, careful not to move anything else from its place - he was an extreme neat freak.

"Thank you Tachibana. And if it wouldn't be too much trouble, could you please--"

" _Sorry_ **,** Akane-san but I really have to dash! I have to go see the seniors now and you _know_ how they favour punctuality! Later!"

Before the young man could protest, Tachibana was out the door, heading towards Kageyama Tobio's office. She had seen the red head leave twenty minutes ago and she buzzing with excitement, wondering about how their meeting had gone. She hoped he had cheered up a bit...

"KAGEYAMA SAN!" Mei burst through the door, making it swing wildly on its hinges, and plunged straight into the tiny office. "Actually do you mind if I call you 'kun'? 'San' seems a bit too formal you know... So HOW DID IT GO?!"

She tried to control her voice but she couldn't help it, Kageyama was a good colleague of hers; and besides, his face earlier was the closest she had **ever** seen to him being happy.

 

"Call me whatever you goddamn want. I don't care."

His voice didn't sound right - it was too empty - too hollow - too sad. _What_ _happened_ _here?_ _Wasn't_ _that_ _flame_ _haired_ _boy_ _meant to_ _cheer_ _him up?_

"Kageyama... kun?" It was only now that Tachibana noticed Kageyama's slumped position, his hear down the desk, face buried in the nooks of his elbow. "Is everything alright..?"

"Does it _look_ like anything is fucking alright!?! Use your fucking woman's intuition for God's sake!!"

The black haired male raised his voice, which in itself was oozing with sarcasm and spite but under which, Tachibana knew, was an overwhelming feeling of despair.

"Could you... Tell me what happened?" She phrased the question as gently as she could, not wanting to anger Kageyama any more.

 

As soon as Mei said those words, it was as if a dam had burst: out poured the words from Kageyama's mouth, out poured the tears and the sniffles, out poured the story of how he met the love of his life after six long, lonely years, only to be rejected at the very end. By the time he finished, the young man was crying whole heatedly. 

"Oh Kageyama... I'm so sorry for you..."

"There's no need to pity me." Kageyama wiped his face. "It was never going to work out. Shouyou was never going to love me. Not again. Not after I left him. But at that moment he... Kissed me I realised..."

"Realised what?"

"Just how badly I needed him. How badly I wanted him. Oh Tachibana san! How could it all fall apart like this?!" Tobio collapsed on his desk, letting his tears spill out on all of the paperwork.

"Oh come on now! It's not the end of the world..." She struggled to find something optimistic to say. "I mean, he did kiss you, right? So maybe he _does_ still like you!

"But he has a girlfriend. Or a boyfriend. He loves another."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." A smirk appeared on Tachibana Mei's rosy little face.

"What do you mean Tachibana?" Kageyama was really confused. "If he liked me then why would he be going out with someone else?"

"I'm not quite sure you noticed but... His eyes when he looked at you... Those were the eyes of someone in love. And I'm not entirely sure he was telling the truth about dating."

"Are you suggesting he's in love with... Me? And he's not dating anyone? But that... That would mean he lied to me! Why on earth would do that?" he raised his head, tears still streaming down his cheeks, confused and angry and sorrowful all at the same time.

"How should I know? Maybe he just got his words mixed up. Things happen. Anyway - Kageyama kun, promise me that you'll go to that reunion!"

"There's no point if Hinata doesn't like me."

"That's why I'm telling you he does!" _Jeez, he's like a teenage girl with her first major crush._ "Just promise me you'll go! At the very least you'll be able to see all your friends, right?"

"Y-yeah..."

 _"_ Do you promise then?"

"I promise."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Oh come on, say it with more enthusiasm!" she encouraged.

"I really promise!"

"You can do better than that! Louder Kageyama kun!"

"I REALLY PROMISE!!"

 

Tachibana allowed herself a small smile.


	8. Meeting

"Okay everyone, pack away the nets! We're shutting shop early!"

A collective groan sounded throughout the gymnasium accompanied by the sound of twenty volleyballs hitting the walls and floor. Sweaty children in sports clothes gradually came to a stop, and began to wheel away the nets slowly, despite their constant moaning in their coach's ear.

It was 4:01pm. The reunion was at 6:00pm - sharp - and Hinata didn't want to miss a minute of it.

His heart pounded in his chest at the thought of seeing Kageyama again, but at the same time it ached with sorrow. He had totally messed up. There was no way that Tobio would want to be with him now... And even if he did, how on earth was he going to explain the whole situation?! That would mean admitting that he had lied to him... And he would have to have nerves of steel for that.

His stomach ached familiarly, just like before a major match back in high school. Back then, Kageyama would always hold him close, so that Shouyou could hear the crow haired boy's heartbeat underneath his shirt. The memory seemed so vivid and yet, so far away at the same time--

"HINATA SENSEI!!! Just one more spike! Please! PLEASE!!"

Hinata whirled around to see a blonde haired boy standing behind him, volleyball clutched desperately in his hands. His name was Suzuha; he was 11, short, full of boundless energy and a tremendous passion towards volleyball. He reminded the coach of his young self, constantly asking his friends to toss for him in between their basketball or football practises. He affectionately ruffled the boy's hair, smiling widely as he did so.

"Not today Suzuha. I have a place to be." The boy was not satisfied - a disappointed frown crept onto his young face and his face visibly darkened as he turned to plod to the storage room. Hinata sighed, and stopped him in his tracks, crouching down in front of the boy and placing both hands on the child's shoulders.

"I'll toss extra for you next week, alright?" A toothy grin immediately appeared on little Suzuha's face, and he ran joyfully ahead, leaving Hinata to wonder whether he would regret making that promise.

The coach glanced at his watch. Just under 2 hours to go home, change and get on the train to the centre of town...

He just hoped he would have enough time.  


 

_"What shall I wear?"_

The question hung in the air, hovering in front of Kageyama's troubled face. He had talked it over multiple times with Tachibana - or Mei, as she now insisted he call her - and had decided to go to the Christmas meal. After all, it wouldn't do any harm to see everyone, see how they're doing...

 _Selfish idiot. You_ _don't_ _even care about anyone. You just want to see Shouyou. Even_ _though_ _he's_ _seeing_ _someone_ _._

 _Y_ _ou're_ _disgusting Tobio_ _. Y_ _ou're_ _absolutely awful_ _. Y_ _ou're_ _just a pathetic_ _, desperate loser_ _who_ _still_ _hasn't_ _gotten_ _over_ _a relationship he had half a decade ago in high school._

 _And yet, the desire_ _to_ _see Shouyou, to wrap his arms around that tiny frame, was almost_ _overpowering_ _..._

Tobio shook his head clear of all his ongoing thoughts and fantasies, and decided instead to focus on his wardrobe. A suit seemed a bit too formal, and knowing his old volleyball team, none of them would dress with so much effort to see a few old friends... A simple t-shirt and jeans seemed too casual, too slack...  
And there was the matter of what shoes to wear; trainers simply wouldn't do and his work shoes were beyond uncomfortable...

After much deliberation, Kageyama eventually opted for a casual checkered shirt and black trousers which stretched slightly here and there on his muscular legs. Once he was satisfied with his reflection in the mirror, he sprayed some deodorant on himself, threw on his Superdry jacket, and was off into the city.


	9. Kampai!

5:58pm - Hinata was right on time as he entered the restaurant, breathing a small sigh in response to the warm atmosphere inside; a stark contrast to the freezing cold weather and the snow that rained down from the sky relentlessly. He looked around the tables and quickly spotted Sugawara and Daichi at the far end of a 12 seater table, accompanied by Narita, Ennoshita, Nishinoya, Asahi and Kinoshita.

"Hey guys!!"

"HINATAAAA!!!" A familiar shout met Hinata's ears just as the small former libero bounded up to him, eyes bright and lively, closely followed by the gentle giant named Asahi Azumane. Nishinoya still had several bright locks at the front, standing out against the rest of his dark brown hair, and had retained his small figure - Asahi still wore that sheepish grin of his, but his hair had grown significantly and was now tied up in an impressive bun at the back. Even more muscular than he had been in high school, he looked every bit the ace now.

"Nishinoya senpai! Asahi senpai! How've you been?" Azumane still towered over both Yū and Shouyou, and was now using that height to police the streets of Hokkaido, where he and Nishinoya now lived together.

"Good, good!" The pair gave each other a smile and then turned towards Hinata. "We found a really cool place in the city centre! It's got giant windows and a great view and, best of all, a super cheap rent! You should come visit sometime Hina!"

The chatter continued as Tanaka arrived, 5 minutes after the arranged time, and then as Yamaguchi and Tsukishima arrived, holding hands - in their "own time" as Kei explained it, until it was half past 6.

 

"When... When do you reckon Kageyama's going to get here?" Hinata asked nervously, fidgeting and wriggling in his chair. Sugawara has explained the situation to every team member, to avoid any potentially disastrous comments or questions, but so far his efforts had gone to waste as the man in question was not present.

"He's probably caught up in traffic or something. He'll come, don't worry! After all, he's totally smitten with you!" Koushi encouraged, nudging the spiker as he did, trying to put a smile on his worried little face.

"Yeah right. He's probably forgotten anyway. After all, he's a businessman, right? They always look down at everyone else." Tsukishima's words were out of his mouth faster than Yamaguchi could elbow him.

"Tsukki! Don't say things like that!" Tadashi scolded the blonde haired man sitting to his right, hitting him gently on the forehead. Yamaguchi himself hadn't changed much: his hair still poked up like an antennae in the middle of his head, no matter how much hair gel he put on it. His freckles were still prominent on his cheeks and they still - as Kei often reminded him - looked like tiny stars. Tsukishima had changed his glasses but he still sneered down at everyone from behind them, and his sarcasm and harsh tongue knew no bounds, amounting to a great number of scolds from Tadashi.

"And besides, Tsukki," Yamaguchi started, "you're also a businessman."

The table erupted into chuckles and laughter as Kei turned a bright pink, leaving Yamaguchi glowing with pride that he had so triumphantly humiliated his partner.

The door to the restaurant opened and closed and the sound of footsteps got louder and louder as a certain someone approached the table where the former Karasuno volleyball team sat.

 

"H-hello everyone. I... I'm sorry I'm late. The trains were d-delayed and then a station was closed and I had to t-take a detour and then--"

"KAGEYAMA!!"

"Finally!"

"Kageyama kun!"

"Kageyama!"

"You made it!!"

"YO KAGEYAMA!"

"Long time no see Kageyama!"

"Tch."

"Kageyama!!"

"Good to see you again!"

"Kageyama! You were making Hinata here all worried! We weren't sure if you were coming or not!"

Shouyou was... Worried? About me?!

Kageyama looked over the table until he found the orange haired individual he was looking for. The butterflies in his stomach fluttered and soared, but he tried to ignore them even as a small blush crept onto his face.

"H-Hinata... I'm sorry for not being clear last time. I was... Uh..."

"It's fine. I understand. It's... It's nice to see you again... Kageyama." He smiled brightly at the black haired male as Tobio's blush intensified.

He barely got a chance to sit down at the only available seat, on the left of Shouyou, before Daichi was standing up and clinking a glass.

"Alright guys! Now that everyone is here, I call for a toast! A toast to the reunion of the Karasuno High school Volleyball Team! A toast to the Karasuno Crows! To the best team in Japan!"

Everyone picked up the small glasses in front of them which seemed to have appeared from nowhere, and raised them up.

"Kampai!"

"KAMPAI!!"


	10. Balcony scene?!

The evening passed as loudly and as cheerfully as it had started, to the point where other customers and several waiters were glaring at the table of young men, who never noticed a thing. They talked about their jobs, politics (very shortly, and only by Tsukishima), TV shows and of course, volleyball.

Whenever the almost sacred word was said, a flame of passion was lit inside each of the young men's hearts, and their eyes seemed to shine brightly with excitement as they recounted their tales of playing the sport. It was clear that they all missed playing as a team; together on the floodlit court in squeaky shoes, jumping and blocking and receiving and setting and spiking in tune, against a wondrously strong opponent, their heads thumping, hearts pumping, eyes wild and dancing.

"Umm... I uh... I think I need some fresh air. I'll be back soon." Kageyama shakily excused himself and headed towards the outside balcony.

Daichi nodded in approval. "It is pretty hot in here... Hey Hinata, you look like you're suffocating! You better go outside as well!"

"Uh no I'm fine I..." Hinata started but Daichi's expression was crystal clear. No matter their age, the flame haired one still felt a sense of authority from the older male, so he quickly followed Tobio's lead to the balcony.

"If you're trying to set them up at least be less obvious about it. Jeez." Tsukishima remarked, sighing slightly.

"It's fine! Those two are totally about this sort of thing, after all. And besides, _Tsukki"_ Daichi said, putting a large emphasis on his nickname, which made Kei squirm slightly in his seat while Yamaguchi looked on, smirking, "If not for a little setting up, you and Yamaguchi wouldn't have gotten together."

This made the blonde squirm even more, and a gentle pink blush crept up to his checks.

"Whatever." He snootily dismissed Daichi's comment, only to be taunted by the remaining members of the table.

 

Meanwhile, on the restaurant balcony, Kageyama and Hinata were standing next to each other in complete silence. Nothing separated them, nothing stopped their arms, resting on the hand rail, from touching each other and yet, an invisible wall stood between them, unseen but menacing all the same.

It was Kageyama who broke the silence.

"So uh... How's your girlfriend?" It was the thing the dark haired make wanted to think least about, but it was the only thing that he could think of. "You... Haven't mentioned her so far this evening. Did something happ--"

"Girlfriend? Wh-what do you mean Kageyama?" Hinata's face exploded red, as much from the cold of the harsh December night as from embarrassment.

"W-well you said you were seeing someone... You know when you came to see me... In my office..." Kageyama couldn't help but look away, into the distance, observing the Tokyo skyline, halfheartedly watching the little blinking lights that illuminated the city.

"I... did..?"

Tobio couldn't believe it. Did he hear uncertainty in Hinata's voice? Did that mean he wasn't dating anyone at all? Or did it mean he was...

"Oh I get it..."

"You do?!"

"You have a..." Kageyama hesitated before saying the word. "... A boyfriend." It felt so strange for him to say the word. In the past he had been Hinata's boyfriend and it was hard to imagine that someone else had now filled the role in the years he hadn't seen Hinata.

But the orange haired man didn't answer. He remained silent, blushing furiously, eyes cast down low and with, what looked like to Kageyama, tears threatening to overflow.

"Right?"

The shorter male remained silent. In response he only turned his head even more away.

"Right?!"

This time Kageyama's voice was louder. He was beginning to get frustrated and he wanted answers. If Hinata was seeing someone, why say it and then hide it? If he wasn't... Why? What was the point? Why would he do this?

The word repeated in Tobio's mind over and over again, each time increasing in volume and anger.

Why? Why?! WHY? WHY?! WH--

 

"I'm sorry Tobio, I... I'm so sorry, I--"

Kageyama snapped back into reality, and focused his attention on the incredibly beautiful individual standing in front of him. Tears were falling from Hinata's face, big raw tears, and he was sobbing uncontrollably. Kageyama felt himself momentarily freeze up in indecision at the smaller male's tears. But what had shaken him even more was what Hinata had called him.

_Tobio..._

"Shouyou... What is it? What's wrong?" Unconsciously, he had slipped back into calling him by his first name, and already he felt a strong urge to throw his arms around Hinata and hold him close.

Hold him close and never let go.

"Tobio, I--"

Kageyama could stand it no longer.

Quickly and firmly, he pulled the sobbing young man into a warm embrace, holding him so close he could feel his heartbeat from under his t-shirt.

They stayed like that for several minutes, saying nothing, breathing quietly in the cold night, savouring every moment, wishing they could stay like this forever. But all good things come to an end. Slowly, Kageyama pulled away from the flame haired boy, yet never looked away from his beautiful beautiful face.

"You're freezing Shouyou. Have this." Without a seconds thought, Kageyama pulled the sweater off his body and onto Hinata's, who was shivering almost uncontrollably from emotion and cold.

Both these acts had surprised Hinata, but he welcomed them with a familiar warmth in his chest. Once Kageyama's sweater was on, the loose material flapping wildly in the wind, Hinata buried his face in Tobio's chest, wanting desperately to feel the tall man's heart as it beat irregularly under layers of skin and muscle. His tears had nearly dried up now, over almost as quickly as they had started. And how grateful he was for it! He could see all the children he coached, jeering at him, a 24 year old snivelling sobbing shaking mess, clinging to another with the same desperate need as a child clings to its mother.

 

"Tobio I... I lied to you." The words didn't form easily on Hinata's tongue, but now he was buried in Kageyama's warmth, it was easier to speak. He didn't know why. "I don't have a girlfriend, Tobio. I don't have a boyfriend. I... I haven't been with anyone since we split up." As pathetic as it sounded, it was true. He just couldn't get over Kageyama, no matter how hard he tried. Compared to him, everyone else was dull and boring. Everyone. He had tried very hard to move on, to forget about him - with every passing moment the idea of still liking him was more and more pathetic... And more and more enticing. Eventually, he stopped even trying to date.

"That's... That's fine Shouyou. Just... Just tell me why." Kageyama's voice, although partially muffled, still sounded shaky and uncertain to Hinata's ears.

"B-because..."

Kageyama waited.

"Because..."

Kageyama waited.

"Because the fact that I still liked you I... I assumed that you'd find it lame so I... I pretended I was seeing someone else... I saw your assistant and I assumed you were... Dating and so I--"

Kageyama's only response was to hug Shouyou tighter, pressing his body close.

He then heard the orange haired boy whisper quietly "Tobio you're... You're crushing me..." after which he released his grip slightly.

"You're such a fricking dumbass Shouyou."

Delicately, he placed a single kiss on Hinata's forehead.

The smaller male pushed away gently from Kageyama, just enough so he could stand on his tiptoes and plant a kiss on the dark haired male's soft lips. Tobio's body reacted faster than his mind could, and before he knew it he was tilting his head to the side and kissing Shouyou, pressing his mouth to his and slowly, gradually--

"Hey you guys, we're leaving now so you might wanna--"

Tanaka stood in the doorway to the balcony, frozen.  
  
  


"Ah."

 


	11. Happy ever after, I guess

Kageyama and Hinata didn't notice Tanaka's presence on the restaurant balcony until he gave several very loud coughs.

 _Very_ loud coughs.

Almost immediately they jumped away from each other, their faces flushed and their eyes looking down, unable to look their senpai in the eye.

"I didn't want to err... Interrupt anything but we're leaving in a minute or two so--"

"We got it! We'll be right there!" Kageyama spluttered out the words and Tanaka, not wanting to say anything else, promptly turned and headed back into the warmth of the restaurant. Kageyama swore he could hear the closely shaved male mutter under his breath something about being the only straight person on the team as he walked away, but his attention quickly switched back to the small individual standing in front of him.

"S-so... Shouyou..."

Hinata lifted his head so he could look the grey eyed male in the eye.

"Tobio."

"I... I..."

Hinata laughed out loud, a sound that made Kageyama blush, making his already pink cheeks an even deeper colour.

"Underneath it all, you're still the same idiot I dated back in high school." Hinata said those words with a wide smile, clearly enjoying seeing the taller male flustered, and Kageyama's only reaction was to look confused.

"W-what do you mean by that?"

Hinata didn't answer, just calmly walked up towards Tobio, closing the distance between them with confident steps, one after the other.

"Shouyou what are you--"

The flame haired man reached out and put a single finger on Kageyama's lips, making him flinch slightly from the unexpected touch, as gentle as it was.

"This time, I'm going to confess to you. But I'm going to do it properly, not like you did in our first year."

Hinata took a deep breath in, and Kageyama, dumbfounded by this seemingly new found confidence, could only stand in silence as the love of his life prepared to say what may be the most important thing in their lives. After the seconds that seemed like eternity, Shouyou was ready.

"Kageyama Tobio."

Kageyama froze up momentarily upon hearing his name, and for a moment doubted whether this was actually happening, whether it wasn't just a dream; but the hesitation was over in a split second. He smiled. He just needed to trust Hinata.

"Ever since I met you, I knew you were different from everyone else. At first I thought it was because you were the most annoying jerk I've ever met. But over time, I came to realise that that was not the truth. I came to realise that I... That I love you."

And then, he tiptoed just so he could whisper right into Kageyama's ear.

"I love you, Kageyama Tobio."

"I love you too dumbass. Although..."

"Although what?"

"You could have left out the part about me being a jerk when we first met."

"But that's the main part of the confession!... Bakayama."

They both gazed at each other for several moments, an overwhelming sense of happiness deep inside them swirling faster and faster every second, a genuine smile spread across both of their young faces.

Without speaking, they grabbed each others hand and exited the balcony, still grinning with happiness at what had just occurred.

 

Their appearance at the table just as everyone was putting on their coats and jackets caused them all to burst into applause and cheers, except Tsukishima of course, who merely sneered at them from behind his black framed glasses.

The pair made no attempt to hide what had happened on the balcony; no doubt Tanaka has filled everyone in on the events, but more than that, there was no reason to disguise anything from their team mates. Their beloved, awesome team mates. So they accepted everyone's pats on the back and hugs and congratulations and thumbs up and began to put on their outdoor clothes, still grinning at each other.

"Say Tobio... Do you want your sweater back?"

"No, no, you keep it... Besides, you'll have a chance to return it soon enough."

It was nearly 12pm by the time they all went their separate ways. In a way, it made Hinata sad, knowing that he would probably not see them again for another whole year, but his sadness quickly disappeared Kageyama took a firm hold of him hand and lead him down the street, towards the subway station. Underneath their feet, the new snow crunched as they trod on it, each step leaving behind a trail of footprints, one pair visibly smaller than the other. The snow fell from the sky like cherry blossom petals on the spring, and already Hinata couldn't wait for the warm weather, for him to finally be able to go outside and enjoy the warm sunshine on his back, playing volleyball in the park with Tobio...

"Tobio."

"Yes Shou?"

Hinata blushed at hearing that nickname. He hadn't heard it for so long it had been almost entirely wiped from his memory.

Almost.

"Back at the restaurant... What did you mean when you said that I'll 'have a chance to return your sweater soon'?"

Kageyama looked perplexed for the second time that evening.

"Well, since we're dating now we're going to be seeing each other regularly--"

"That's not what I meant, and you know it!"

Kageyama smirked and looked at Shouyou from the side, tilting his head ever so slightly in his direction.

Hinata's heart skipped a beat. He knew that look all too well.

"No way... We've only just got back together and you want to... To do it?! Seriously?!"

They had just turned into a dark alleyway, away from the main street. Here, one dim lamppost was the only light. No one walked down this way in the darkness.

In a flash, Kageyama had, quite roughly, pushed the flame haired boy against the wall, pinning his arms in a merciless grip.

Hinata stood pressed against the brick wall, a mixture of excitement and fear in his eyes. What was Tobio playing at? He braced himself for whatever was coming next.

"I admit, Shouyou, I love you more than anything in the world. And I mean it. But there's another feeling that's been tormenting me during our six long years of... Separation. You want to know what it is?"

Slowly, Kageyama leaned in, until his mouth was right next to Hinata's ear. He whispered the word, but it rang loudly in the shorter male's head, repeating over and over and over.

 

"Desire."

 _There it is,_ Hinata thought to himself, the dark side of Tobio. The intense side. The side he loved as passionately as the usual withdrawn, almost cold side. _But why,_ he asked himself, **_why_** _was Tobio choosing to be like this_ ** _now_** _? In_ _this_ _dark, cold alleyway that stunk of piss and dog shit and garbage?_

"Just kidding." Kageyama released Hinata and the orange haired man sunk slightly against the wall, grateful that his partner hasn't just decided to pursue matters further. "Well, kind of."

The hair on Shouyou's neck stood up suddenly.

"What do you mean... Kind of..?"

"I mean..." Kageyama started, "I'm holding back right now." He held his hand out for Hinata to take, and when he did, he closed his fingers tightly around it. "But as soon as we get home... There will be no stopping me."

Hinata nodded. He too longed to make love to Tobio, to feel their bodies melt together on a comfy bed, to---

"Hold on a minute! What do you mean by 'home'?!"

"We're going to my place. Got a problem with that?"

Hinata smiled, and stood on his tiptoes to kiss Tobio softly on his cheek.

"Nope. No problem at all Bakayama."  
  


And so the two walked on, holding each other's hand tightly, feeling an intense emotion the likes of which they hadn't felt for six long years.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there! Thank you for reading all the way to the end, I am eternally grateful to you! I hope you enjoyed the story - any feedback, constructive criticism or the like would be awesome, if you have the time :) 
> 
> By the way, sorry for the clumsy-ish writing and spelling errors - I wrote this last year and I honestly don't have the energy right now to revise it for minor errors, although I definitely will at some point in the future.
> 
> Thank you once again, and enjoy the rest of your reading!


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